ServiceNow Admin & Development Training

Navigate the Now Platform and explain its single data model, instance architecture and release model.

• Single data model, applications and modules
  • one table hierarchy shared across applications
  • application menus and modules
  • the Task table and its extensions
  • sys_id as the universal record key
• Instances and the ServiceNow cloud
  • sub-production and production instances
  • instance cloning and clone exclusions
  • instance version and patch banner
  • node, database and scheduler separation
• Why application scope matters from day one
  • global scope versus scoped applications
  • scope prefix applied to new records
  • cross-scope access privileges
  • runtime access tracking
• UI16 and Next Experience
  • UI16 banner frame and application navigator
  • Next Experience unified navigation
  • workspaces and configurable pages
  • themes, favorites and history
• Finding anything fast
  • global search and search sources
  • list condition builder
  • filter breadcrumbs and saved filters
  • application navigator filter text
• Personalising lists and forms
  • list layout versus personalize columns
  • form layout and form sections
  • list and form views
  • related lists and related list controls
• Releases and how upgrades really work
  • family releases and patch levels
  • skipped records during upgrade
  • upgrade history and skipped record review
  • out of box versus customised records
• Update sets vs the store
  • local and remote update sets
  • captured versus uncaptured changes
  • applications installed from the ServiceNow Store
  • plugin activation and dependencies

Configure users, groups, roles and access control rules so record and field access matches the requirement.

• User and group administration without creating a mess
  • sys_user and sys_user_group records
  • membership through sys_user_grmember
  • group manager, group type and group email
  • deactivating rather than deleting users
• Roles and inheritance
  • role containment and contained roles
  • itil, approver_user and admin roles
  • roles granted through group membership
  • elevated privilege for security_admin
• Delegation
  • delegate records with start and end dates
  • delegated approvals and assignments
  • delegated development permissions per application
  • auditing delegated activity
• The role mistakes that cost teams days
  • granting admin instead of a specific role
  • roles assigned directly to users rather than groups
  • orphaned custom roles with no ACL behind them
  • missing role on a new custom table
• How ACLs evaluate: table, then field, then row
  • table level rule evaluated before field level
  • wildcard table and field rules
  • most specific matching rule wins
  • condition, role and script all must pass
• Read/write/create/delete rules
  • operation types on sys_security_acl
  • required roles per operation
  • table.None and table.* record forms
  • effect on lists, forms and inbound API access
• ACL scripts
  • the answer variable in an ACL script
  • current and gs objects available in scope
  • script combined with condition and role
  • keeping ACL scripts short for performance
• Debugging access with impersonation
  • impersonating a user session
  • debug security rules output
  • session debug log and field level diagnostics
  • verifying denials against the expected rule

Design tables, fields and reference relationships that fit the platform data model.

• Tables, the dictionary and field types
  • sys_db_object and sys_dictionary records
  • field types such as string, choice, reference and date/time
  • dictionary attributes and default values
  • dictionary overrides on extended tables
• Reference fields and dot-walking
  • simple and dynamic reference qualifiers
  • dot-walking in lists, filters and scripts
  • document ID and related field types
  • auto populate and reference auto complete
• Extending the Task table
  • inherited fields, business rules and ACLs
  • table per class inheritance
  • number maintenance and prefixes
  • when to extend rather than start a new base table
• Choosing the right structure
  • extension versus a standalone table
  • many to many relationship tables
  • normalisation trade offs for reporting
  • naming conventions and column prefixes

Load external data into the platform using data sources, import sets and transform maps.

• Data sources and staging
  • file, JDBC and REST data sources
  • import set tables used as staging
  • row and column parsing options
  • test load of a small record sample
• Transform maps and scripts
  • field maps between source and target
  • onBefore and onAfter transform scripts
  • source script for calculated values
  • run order when several maps share a source
• Coalescing
  • coalesce field to insert or update
  • multiple field coalesce
  • duplicate handling during import
  • no coalesce meaning insert only
• Scheduling and automating data loads
  • scheduled data imports
  • scheduled jobs and run frequency
  • import set table cleanup and retention
  • error rows and transform history review

Control form behaviour using UI policies, client scripts and data policies.

• UI policies vs client scripts: when to use which
  • declarative UI policy actions
  • reverse if false behaviour
  • order of execution on the form
  • scripting only when configuration cannot do it
• onLoad / onChange / onSubmit
  • onLoad defaults and initial visibility
  • onChange oldValue, newValue and isLoading arguments
  • onSubmit validation and returning false
  • onCellEdit for list editing
• Data policies for server-enforced rules
  • mandatory and read only enforced server side
  • applying a data policy to imports and web services
  • converting a data policy to a UI policy
  • precedence against UI policies on the form
• Catalog client scripts
  • catalog item and variable set applicability
  • g_form against catalog variables
  • applies on catalog item view and on the target record
  • variable attributes as an alternative to script

Write server-side scripts using GlideRecord, business rules and Script Includes.

• GlideRecord done right (query, update, gotchas)
  • addQuery, addOrCondition and addEncodedQuery
  • next loop, setLimit and getRowCount
  • initialize, insert, update and deleteRecord
  • getValue versus dot notation on fields
  • setWorkflow and autoSysFields side effects
• Business rules vs Script Includes and why current differs
  • before, after, async and display rule types
  • current and previous objects in a business rule
  • Script Include classes with Class.create and prototype
  • no current object inside a Script Include
• GlideAjax and async patterns
  • client callable Script Include extending AbstractAjaxProcessor
  • addParam sysparm_name and getXMLAnswer
  • asynchronous callback handling
  • avoiding synchronous browser calls
• Debugging with logs and the script debugger
  • gs.info, gs.warn and gs.error output
  • system log and script log statements
  • breakpoints and variable inspection in the script debugger
  • session debug for business rules and security

Build catalog items and automate their fulfilment with Flow Designer.

• Catalog items, variables and record producers
  • catalogs, categories and catalog items
  • variable types and reusable variable sets
  • record producer mapping onto a target table
  • order guides and cart behaviour
• Flows, actions and reusable subflows
  • record, scheduled and inbound triggers
  • core actions and data pills between steps
  • subflows with defined inputs and outputs
  • flow execution details for troubleshooting
• Approval patterns that survive real org charts
  • ask for approval action and approval rules
  • group approvals versus named approvers
  • sequential and parallel approval paths
  • rejection, rework and cancellation handling
• Legacy Workflow vs Flow Designer
  • workflow versions, checkout and publish
  • migrating an existing workflow to a flow
  • coexistence on the same table
  • replacing a script step with a flow action

Configure notifications, service level agreements, knowledge bases and portal pages.

• Email notifications and templates
  • notification triggers on insert, update and event
  • recipients from users, groups and fields
  • mail scripts and email templates
  • email logs and send diagnostics
• SLA definitions and schedules
  • start, pause and stop conditions
  • task SLA records and elapsed time
  • schedules and time zone handling
  • retroactive start and repeat options
• Knowledge management
  • knowledge bases and categories
  • article publish and retire workflow
  • user criteria for read and contribute
  • article search, feedback and versions
• Service Portal pages and widgets, the practical basics
  • portal, page, container and column structure
  • widget server script and client controller
  • widget option schema and instance options
  • cloning a baseline widget rather than editing it

Integrate the platform with external systems over REST and SOAP.

• Consuming and exposing REST/SOAP
  • REST message records and HTTP methods
  • SOAP message created from a WSDL
  • REST API Explorer and generated code
  • Table API and Attachment API basics
• Scripted REST APIs
  • resource paths and path parameters
  • request query parameters and request body
  • response setStatus, setBody and setError
  • versioning and ACLs on a scripted resource
• IntegrationHub spokes without over-engineering
  • spoke actions used inside a flow
  • connection and credential aliases per environment
  • custom action versus an existing spoke action
  • subscription aware step types
• Auth, pagination and error handling
  • basic auth, OAuth 2.0 and mutual TLS
  • sysparm_limit and sysparm_offset paging
  • HTTP status handling, timeouts and retries
  • logging failures without exposing credentials

Build reports and dashboards and move completed work between instances with update sets.

• Reports and dashboards
  • report types such as bar, pie, pivot and time series
  • report sources, conditions and grouping
  • dashboards, tabs and dashboard widgets
  • sharing rules and scheduled report delivery
• Intro to Performance Analytics
  • indicators and indicator sources
  • breakdowns and breakdown sources
  • data collection jobs and historical scores
  • scorecards and analytics widgets
• Update sets and moving work safely
  • selecting the current update set before working
  • retrieved update sets and preview
  • resolving preview problems and collisions
  • batching related update sets in order
• Building and reviewing your end-to-end capstone
  • scope statement and acceptance criteria
  • peer review against platform conventions
  • packaging the build into an update set
  • demonstration and handover notes